Gala Water for solo cello (1994)

An accomplished viola player herself, Sally Beamish has been particularly successful with her music for string instruments – both on a large scale and in an intimate little piece like Gala Water, which was written for her husband, the cellist Robert Irvine. “This short piece,” she says, “is an expression of our grief at the loss of a baby through miscarriage in 1994. It was commissioned by Galashiels Arts Association and uses a local folk tune, ‘Braw, Braw Lads of Gala Water,’ part of which is heard at the end following a set of variations embracing a range of emotions.” Sally Beamish is at present working on a Cello Concerto for Robert Cohen, who will be giving the first performance later this year.